Blackfriars Bridge flash mob, part 2

[DamoDoublemint]

Linky

It is being dubbed the Battle for Blackfriars and the call to arms – or at least bikes – has gone out across London.

The capital’s cyclists are being summoned to a flash ride tomorrow evening at 6pm on Blackfriars Bridge to protest the failure by Transport for London to alter its designs for what has been condemned by cycling advocates as a dangerous junction on the bridge's north side.

Protesters will also call for the current 20mph speed limit on the bridge to be retained.

Work on the road layout is being carried out as part of a £550 million, three year upgrade to Blackfriars station which is due to reopen later this year and the flash ride has been called as heavy equipment is moved into place to begin work at the junction over the weekend.

A number of groups including Critical Mass, the London Cycling Campaign, the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain plus politicians and sundry bloggers, tweeters and interested parties are urging cyclists to attend the ride to demonstrate a united front against a failure by Transport for London to adequately address their concerns.

Mike Cavenett of the London Cycling Campaign told road.cc: “People are really angry and dissatisfied with what’s happening. There appeared to be a consensus whereby the London Assembly members and even the Mayor himself agreed that there was a problem at Blackfriars but now it’s been announced that the works are going ahead.

“To show our anger we’re going to get as many cyclists as possible to ride across the bridge. It’s a symbolic gesture we’re not planning to disrupt the work but we do want to show politicians that there is a lot of anger out there.”

Riders are being asked to congregate at the Doggett's pub on the south side of the bridge shortly before 6pm tomorrow, July 29. The plan is for protesters to link up with a scheduled Critical Mass ride which is due to begin at Waterloo also at 6pm.

 

[gaz]

I wish i could attend this but i can't.

 

[redfalo]

I'll be there. Here's more information about the ride. Let's show our contempt for the TfL plans!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I'll be there. Here's more information about the ride. Let's show our contempt for the TfL plans!

Isn't it more a case of protesting about TfL's contempt for cyclists?

 

[gaz]

Isn't it more a case of protesting about TfL's contempt for cyclists?

It's more than just that. TFL just seem to be out of control at present.

 

[Jezston]

we’re not planning to disrupt the work

I'd say they bloody well should. Be very easy for a relatively small number of people to just get in the way of the contractors enough for them to give up.

Also, who are the 'Cycling Embassy of Great Britain'? Do we need yet more fracturing amongst different uncoordinated cycling pressure groups? Could there ever be 'one'?

 

[gaz]

I'd say they bloody well should. Be very easy for a relatively small number of people to just get in the way of the contractors enough for them to give up.

Also, who are the 'Cycling Embassy of Great Britain'? Do we need yet more fracturing amongst different uncoordinated cycling pressure groups? Could there ever be 'one'?

The cycling embassy is relatively new and is basically copying what other countries have. I recall when it set up Carlton Reid and Jim Davies having a slagging match on twitter about it, quite amusing.

 

[jefmcg]

Anyone else go? I got there late, so joined the North->South leg then cycled with them to Waterloo. Didn't join the critical mass as that's a little too 1980s for my taste. Felt like a big crowd. I was somewhere in the middle, so hard to judge. This is the only article I've found about it so far http://www.demotix.c...-bridge-london. The writer was somewhere near me as I heard the guy say "we a traffic too". I'm sure that there was way more than 100 there.

I saw one news broadcast/recording in progress. Surprise surprise he was talking about the traffic

It seemed to occupy a lot of London. I had CS8 (and the embankment) mostly to myself for a large part of the journey home

Edit: added a photo. I guess I was near the back of the pack, so not in a good place to estimate the crowd. I hope someone did a head count.

 

[Gandalf]

A little bit of footage here I'll upload a bit more later. I only got half an hour in total as my camera battery is knackered.

I did spot numerous peeps with helmet cams though, so I'm sure more footage will emerge.

 

[gaz]

How many? Note how many are dressed in all the gear compared to those in normal clothes.
[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1b-CRmPrL8[/media]

 

[DamoDoublemint]

I'm sure that there was way more than 100 there.

Closer to 1000 I'd say. I was somewhere around the middle, but I didn't see how far we stretched, but I'm sure we spanned the length of the bridge.

My video is in the process of being uploaded to YouTube. And I just realised my video of the previous one was featured on the Guardian.

 

[style over speed]

I agree, closer to 1000 than 100. We need to do this every week, in front of TFL's office too.

 

[DamoDoublemint]

Video of the event, at 4 times speed:

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsVuuqTrhT0[/media]

 

[gaz]

Great turn out by the looks of it.

 

[Tommi]

Great turn out by the looks of it.

Approximate 100 if you believe the news.

Edit: didn't realise that's the same story as posted before. Here's another estimating up to 1000 cyclists.